ICC ODI rankings: Australia batter makes massive 40-place jump, India duo still on top

Australia may have slipped to a 2-1 defeat against South Africa in their home ODI series, but several of their batters and bowlers have earned notable gains in the latest ICC Men’s ODI Rankings. The highlight came in the final game at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay, where the defending world champions posted a staggering 431 for two. That innings, built on centuries from Travis Head (142), Mitch Marsh (100) and Cameron Green (118*), not only powered them to a record total but also lifted all three batters up the charts. Head has moved up one place to joint 11th in the batting list, Marsh climbed four spots to 44th, while Green made the most dramatic progress, jumping a staggering 40 positions to reach 78th. Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis also advanced after scoring 87 in the second match, improving 23 places to sit at 64th. At the top of the batting table, India’s Shubman Gill continues to hold first place with 784 rating points, followed by Rohit Sharma (756) and Pakistan’s Babar Azam (739). The bowling rankings also saw movement following the series. Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana joined South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj on 671 points at the summit. Maharaj slipped slightly after finishing with figures of 1 for 57 in the last ODI, which allowed Theekshana, who did not play during the week, to draw level. South African pacer Lungi Ngidi enjoyed the biggest rise among bowlers, jumping six places to 28th after claiming seven wickets across three games, the most by any bowler in the series. Australia’s all-rounder Sean Abbott climbed nine spots to joint 48th, while Nathan Ellis made significant strides by gaining 21 places to reach 65th after consistent spells. While India and Pakistan batters continue to dominate the top tier, Australia’s latest surge highlights the depth in their ranks, despite playing out a series where the overall result went against them.